Читать книгу Simple Beginnings: Beading - Aiden Byrne - Страница 23

SERVES 4

400 ml full-fat milk

300 ml double cream

2 garlic cloves

3 large sprigs of thyme

2 large waxy potato, such as Desiree or Cara

150 g Cheddar cheese, grated

salt and pepper

PUT A SHALLOW baking tray with some water in it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 80°C/180°F/gas ¼.

PUT THE MILK and cream in a saucepan with the garlic and thyme and heat. Leave for 20 minutes to infuse, stirring occasionally to stop it from catching on the bottom of the pan.

PEEL THE POTATOES and slice them on a mandolin as thinly as possible. Put them in the warm cream mixture and cook until the potatoes are just tender. Take care that they do not catch and burn.

POUR THE CREAM and the potatoes into large colander resting over another saucepan. Continue to cook the cream gently until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

LAYER THE POTATO slices in an ovenproof earthenware dish, sprinkling the grated cheese between each layer. Season with salt and pepper every other layer and add a small ladleful of the cream every third layer. When you have layered all the potatoes, cover with the remaining cream, sprinkle a final layer of cheese on top and wipe the sides of the dish. Put the potatoes into the tray that is in the oven, standing it in the water, which should come to the top of the dish. (The water will stop the cream from boiling; if it boils with the cheese in it will separate.) Cook for at least 3 hours. The potatoes will colour gradually. Serve when they are golden brown.

Ceps and aubergines are a marriage made in heaven. I use this combination in lots of different ways – with monkfish, lamb or just as a wonderful vegetarian starter like this one. If you like, you could put some pickled anchovies on this tart.